SELF-CONTAINED, PROGRAMMABLE, NON-POSITIONAL SENSITIVE, VIBRATION ACTIVATED ALARM SYSTEM

Abstract: An alarm system which is securely attached to an article for activating an alarm device when the article is moved. A programmable controller provides the operational routines which determine the function of the alarm system. Non-positional sensitive, vibration activated switching means are included for activating the alarm device when operated by movement of the article. The alarm system can be mounted in a water resistant enclosure that can be locked by a further switch that both physically locks the enclosure and electrically arms the device, and provides access to a secure compartment within the enclosure for battery storage.

Description: SELF-CONTAINED, PROGRAMMABLE, NON-POSITIONAL SENSITIVE^ VIBRATION ACTIVATED ALARM SYSTEM Background The present invention relates to a new and improved alarm system. More particularly the present invention relates to an alarm system which would be attached to an article to monitor and prevent unauthorized movement of the article. Prior electronic alarm systems which act as monitoring and/or security protection when attached to stationary articles have severe limitations and liabilities. Such apparatuses, in general, are either sensors which are attached to the article and connected to some remotely located control station or they are apparatuses which sound an alarm for a preselected time period when disturbed in some predetermined way. In the former case, the monitored article may be damaged, destroyed or stolen before action can be taken due to the distance from the remote control location. An alarm should be self-contained and attached to the monitored article to alert any nearby onlookers as well as providing a means to deter the person causing the alarm condition. In the later case, many of these types of apparatuses use a sensor means which requires that the apparatus be attached in a certain positional orientation to function properly. Furthermore, many of these apparatuses are inadequate due to one or more conditions of operation which are not appropriate for the particular user or the environment of the monitored article. Examples of such inadequacies include false alarms when arming time or entry time of the alarm is too short for the user's ability to arm or disarm the apparatus. Another inadequacy occurs when the alarm activates incorrectly due to the first alarm condition without allowing subsequent alarm conditions to validate the original alarm condition. Still yet another limitation of these apparatuses is the ineffective method by which the apparatus is attached to the monitored article. If the alarm apparatus is not securely attached to the monitored article, it may be removed and then discarded, destroyed or ignored and is therefore an ineffective alarm means to monitor the article. The alarm system of the present disclosure overcomes these problems by being self contained and capable of being securely attached to an article and functioning properly regardless of the positional orientation of the article or the disclosed alarm system. Furthermore, the alarm system of the present disclosure may be user programmable or pre-programmed to have a variety of possible operational characteristics. Summary A self contained, programmable, non-positional sensitive, vibration activated alarm system is disclosed. One embodiment of the alarm system is comprised of a programmable controller unit, optional user-progamming switch(es), optional visual display device(s) or audio output device, an electromechanical cam lock keyswitch, one or more non-positional sensitive vibration activated devices, an oscillator circuit, a piezo-electric alarm and a battery power source, all self contained in a rugged, watertight, securely attachable enclosure. The controller unit runs the operating program for the alarm system. The operating program determines the operation of the alarm system. This program may allow user entry of many parameters such as arming and disarming delay time , arming time countdown notification, quantity of vibrations within a specified period of time to create an alarm condition, armed alert indication, alarm sound characteristics, low battery alert minimum and maximum alarm time. These types of parameters may be set using user programming switch(es) while viewing the visual display device(s) or listening to the audio output device. Alternatively values for the variables within the operating pro¬ gram may be pre-programmed into the controller unit by use of a pre-programmable ROM device. The one or more non-positional sensitive, vibration activated devices are electrically open when they are at rest in any positional orientation. The devices output a series of switch pulses to the controller unit whenever they are vibrated, shocked, moved or tilted. The controller unit evaluates these pulses, and if they meet the user defined or pre-programmed alarm criteria, the piezo-electric alarm is sounded. A standard 9 volt battery may be used as a power source for the alarm system, and it is securely locked in a battery compartment in the alarm enclosure through the use of a cam lock keyswitch. The security of this keylock switch may be enhanced when the mating key is non-copiable and has a large variety of different key combinations. The cam of this keyswitch also serves to secure the alarm enclosure to the article to which the alarm is attached. This is achieved with a mounting bracket which attaches around or to the supporting structure to which the alarm is to be attached; said bracket being secured when the cam of the keyswitch is used to lock the rear cover to the enclosure. This rear cover in turn secures the mounting bracket to the article to which the alarm is attached. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 : A block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the alarm system incorporating the principles of the present disclosure; FIG. 2: A flow chart for an operating program for the controller unit; FIGS. 3A - 3E: One version of a non-positional sensitive, vibration activated device SHOWN in several possible positional orientations; FIG. 4A: A view of one embodiment of an enclosure for the alarm system shown attached to a handle; FIG. 4B: An exploded view of the enclosure of Fig. 4A; Fig. 4C: A view of the keylock switch used on the alarm system; Fig. 4D: A view of an alternate mounting bracket for the alarm device. Detailed Description The alarm system disclosed is directed to an apparatus which is self contained and securely attached to the monitored article. Furthermore, the disclosed alarm system may be user programmable or pre-programmed or both and contains one or more non-positional sensitive device(s) that are activated by any motion which causes vibration to the system. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the disclosed alarm system. The alarm system (9) is powered by a battery power source (10) which is electrically connected to a controller unit (1 1) which may be a microcontroller through the contacts of a cam lock keyswitch (12). When the keyswitch is turned "on", power is applied to the controller unit. The controller unit will accept user entries via user programming switch(es) (13) or is pre-programmed prior to operation. If the controller unit is user programmed, output data is sent to the user via a visual display device (14) or an audio output device. At various times such as during arming time, disarming time, low battery condition, preliminary alarm condition, and verified alarm condition the controller unit will turn on an oscillator circuit (15) which will generate the alarm sound characteristics for the piezo-electric alarm (16). The controller unit monitors and detects movement of the alarm system when one or more of the non-positional sensitive vibration activated devices (17) are vibrated sufficiently such that contact is made between the switch contacts of said device(s). One embodiment of a non-positional sensitive vibration activated device (17) is shown in Figs. 3A though 3E. Figs. 3A through 3E show the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device (17) in various positions. The device consists of a hermetically sealed welded steel chamber (26) which has a single steel electrode pin (27) exiting through the center of one end of the device. The pin is electrically isolated from the steel chamber by a non-conductive insulator (28) which covers the entire pin inside the chamber and as the pin exits through the chamber, except for an exposed tip of the pin inside the chamber (29). A small ball of mercury (30) is sealed within the device such that electrical contact can be made between the tip (29) of the electrode pin and the steel chamber (26). As shown in Figs. 3A through 3E, the device is designed with an exact quantity of mercury and in such a way as to prevent electrical contact between the tip of the electrode pin and the chamber when the device is at rest, regardless of the positional orientation of the device. Once vibrated, the mercury will roll within the chamber and make electrical contact between the tip (29) of the electrode and the chamber, which in turn allows an electrical signal to flow through the device to the controller unit. Fig. 3 A shows the relationship of contact pin (29) and the mercury when the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device is in a horizontal position. Fig. 3B shows the relationship of contact pin (29) and the mercury when the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device is in a vertical position with the contact pin pointing upward. Fig. 3C shows the relationship of contact pin (29) and the mercury when the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device is in a 45° position with the contact pin pointing upward. Fig. 3D shows the relationship of contact pin (29) and the mercury when the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device is in a 45° position with the contact pin pointing downward. Fig. 3E shows the relationship of contact pin (29) and the mercury when the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device is in a vertical position with the contact pin pointing downward. The controller unit runs the operating program for the alarm system. A flow chart for one version of this program is shown in Figure 2. After power is applied to the controller unit, the user may enter programming information with a number of user programming switch(es) (18), in which case the controller will perform a user programming routine (19) which will store information for various timing and operational characteristics of the alarm system. Alternatively, the controller unit may be pre-programmed with the timing and operational characteristics of the alarm system. During user programming the controller unit in addition to receiving programming information from user programming switch(es) would prompt the user thorough the use of the visual display device(s) or an audio output device. The data entry may allow user definition of such items as arming and disarming time, alarm time, types of alarm sounds under various conditions and the number of vibrations within a given period of time to create an alarm condition. Whether pre-programmed or user programmed, the controller unit will perform an arming routine (20) which will allow the user to arm and stabilize the alarm system without generating an alarm condition. Next, the controller unit will perform a monitoring routine (21) in which vibrations detected by the non-positional sensitive vibration activated device(s) are monitored by the controller and analyzed against the user programmed or pre-programmed alarm condition criteria (22). If no alarm condition is found, the monitoring will continue unless the user deactivates the alarm system (23). If an alarm condition is found, the controller unit will perform a verification routine (24) which would determine if the alarm condition was caused by the user or if movement of the alarm system was unauthorized. If the user does not deactivate the alarm system, the controller unit would perform the functions of an alarm routine (25). After performing the alarm routines, the controller would loop back and begin the monitoring routine (21) again. Routines (18)-(25) are pre-programmed as the operating program for the controller unit. Variables within each routine are either user programmable or are pre-programmed or both. To ensure full effectiveness, the disclosed alarm system and it's power source are placed in an enclosure which is water resistant or waterproof and securely attached to the monitored article. One embodiment of an enclosure for the alarm system is shown in Figures 4A through 4D. Figures 4A and 4B show two views of the overall alarm system enclosure. The enclosure consists of a main housing (31), a rear cover (32), a mounting bracket for mounting the alarm to a monitored article containing a cylindrical element (33), or mounting to a flat surface (34) on the monitored article by using mounting screws (35) to secure the bracket to the article. A main housing contains slotted channels (36) which run on either side of the housing, and are closed on the end of the housing (38) furthest from the rear cover (32). Cooperating tabs (37) run along the sides of the mounting bracket and allow the bracket to attach to the monitored article while also sliding into the channels on the main housing of the alarm system enclosure. Shims may optionally be used with bracket (33) for mounting to various diameter elements. Once the bracket is slid in place, the rear cover (32) closes over the main housing. The rear cover, as shown in Figure 4C, is locked firmly in place by using the correct keyswitch key (40) in the cam lock keyswitch (39), and turning it such that the cam of the keyswitch (41) latches on a catch (42) inside the main housing. The rear cover is removed in a reverse fashion to allow user access to replace the battery power source. Thus, the electromechanical cam lock keyswitch has multiple key position which allows its use as an electrical switch with contacts (46), a mechanical lock means for a battery compartment within the housing and indirectly as a means for securing the mounting bracket and housing, to the monitored article. Small holes (43) are located in a plurality of locations throughout the surfaces of the main housing to allow exit of the sound from the alarm device and/or an audio output device. To ensure full dispersion of all alarm sounds the holes may also be included in areas partially covered by the mounting brackets and in other obscure locations throughout the housing. It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the possible specific embodiments which may represent principles of the present invention. Other arrangements may readily be devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: Claims I claim: 1. An alarm system adapted to be attached to an article for sounding an alarm when the article is moved, said alarm system comprising: a housing; an attached member mounted on said housing and adapted to be attached to said article; an alarm device mounted in said housing for indicating when activated that said article has been moved; a power source for powering said alarm device mounted in said housing; switching means mounted in one or more preselected positions in said housing and being electrically connected to said alarm device, each of said switching means being operable between a first condition and a second condition when said alarm system is activated; a controller mounted in said housing electrically connected between said switching means and said alarm device, said controller being programmable for detecting movement of said article and activating said alarm device. 2. An alarm system as in claim 1 wherein said housing is made of high impact water resistant material which totally encloses said alarm system and a further switch is provided on said housing for locking said housing and electrically connecting said power source to said switching means. 3. An alarm system as in claim 2, wherein said further switch is an electromechanical cam lock keyswitch. 4. An alarm system as in claim 2, having means for indicating that said alarm system has been powered comprising an audio device. 5. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said programmable controller is a microcontroller having a pre-programmed ROM device. 6. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said programmable controller is programmed by use of one or more user programming switch(es). 7. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said programmable controller is programmed by use of a PROM device. 8. An alarm system as in claim 1 , having means for providing programming indications to a user while said user is programming said alarm system; said means comprising a visual display device. 9. An alarm system as in claim 8, wherein said display device is an LED, LCD or other similar display device. 10. An alarm system as in claim 1 , having means for indicating that said alarm system; said means comprising an audio device. 1 1. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said housing is a rugged high-impact enclosure arranged to prevent unauthorized removal of said alarm system from an article to which said alarm system is attached. 12. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said power source is a battery. 13. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said switching means is one or more non-positional, sensitive, vibration activated device(s). 14. An alarm system as in claim 13, wherein said non-positional sensitive vibration activated switching means are mercury switches. 15. An alarm system as in claim 1 , wherein said alarm device is a piezo-electric device. 16. An alarm system comprising: means for securely housing and attaching said alarm system; means for sensing movement of said alarm system; means for preprogramming operation of said alarm system; means for providing an audible alarm upon unauthorized movement of said alarm system; and means for powering said alarm system. 17. An alarm system as in claim 16 wherein said means for securely housing said alarm system comprises: a rugged high-impact enclosure resistant to water or water proof and arranged to prevent unauthorized removal of said alarm system from an article to which said alarm system is attached. 18. An alarm system as in claim 16 wherein said means for sensing movement of said alarm system comprises one or more non-positional sensitive, vibration activated device(s). 19. An alarm system as in claim 16 wherein said means for preprogramming activation of said alarm system comprises a controller unit to run an operating program for said alarm system; said controller receives inputs from one or more non-positional sensitive, vibration activated device(s) indicating vibration or movement of said alarm system; and said controller is programmed by a PROM device. 20. An alarm system as in claim 16 wherein said means for preprogramming activation of said alarm system comprises a controller unit to run an operating program for said alarm system; said controller receives inputs from one or more non-positional sensitive, vibration activated device(s) indicating vibration or movement of said alarm system; and sa i d c ontro l le r i s programmed by one or more user programming switch means for data entry into said controller. 21. An alarm system as in claim 16 wherein said means for providing an audibie alarm of unauthorized movement of said alarm system comprises an oscillator connected to an output of said means for preprogramming activation of said alarm system and to a piezoelectric alarm driven by said oscillator. 22. An alarm system as in claim 17 wherein said means for powering said alarm system is a battery. 23. An alarm system comprising: an enclosure; means for powering said alarm system; an electro-mechanical cam lock keyswitch for turning said alarm system "ON", locking and unlocking a storage compartment for storing said power means and securing the enclosure of said alarm system to an article to be monitored; an oscillator circuit and a piezoelectric audible alarm device; a controller unit to run an operating program for said alarm system; user programming switch means for data entry input into said controller unit; an audio output device to initiate output information from said controller unit; a LED, LCD, or other similar display device for displaying output data from said controller unit; one or more non-positional sensitive, vibration activated device(s) to sense movement of said alarm system; and said enclosure is a high impact enclosure for said alarm system, said enclosure to be water resistant or water proof, and rugged enough and securely mounted to prevent easy removal of said alarm system from the article to which said alarm system is attached, without using α correct key to unlock said electromechanical keyswitch.

Inventors: STREETER ROBERT W, STREETER, ROBERT, W.
Applicants: STREETER ROBERT W, STREETER, ROBERT, W.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G08B13
IPC codes: G08B13